Field of the Invention
Embodiments presented in this disclosure generally relate to switching generator configurations, and more specifically, to maintaining a substantially constant rotor speed when switching between the generator configurations.
Description of the Related Art
Unlike some forms of power generation systems, wind power systems are dependent on varying environmental conditions for generating power. Specifically, the power generated by a turbine may vary depending on the wind speed in the wind farm. A wind turbine may produce power at different efficiencies depending on the wind speed. As used herein, the turbine's efficiency is a measure of the turbine's ability to convert wind energy into electrical energy. For example, if the turbine is configured to operate optimally at wind speeds around 10 meters/second but the current wind speed is around 5 meters/second, the turbine may produce power at a reduced efficiency. Accordingly, much of the effort in wind turbine design is focused on designing wind turbines that can generate power efficiently in varying environmental conditions.